Sunday, 2 August 2009

What's a Duck-do?

We often have duck on the menu. Apart from being really tasty and coming from Goosnargh, which must mean it's good. The event of it being cooked is great fun for new members of staff.

"Check on chef, one Fillet, one Duck."

"Ok, Fillet no problem, I've got the duck breast here, I need a Cointreau to go with the fillet and fetch me the Duck-do from the walk-in please"

I normally have to turn away as I'm crap at the poker face malarkey.

"Yes Chef!........... erm, what's a Duck-do?"

At which point there is a chorus from the rest of the brigade "Quack, quack"

Actually, it only ever worked properly once, when Iulian was in charge of cooking one evening and Rasvan, his brother, had just started with us. Lets just say we needed a few moments to regain our composure before we could continue to cook. Iulian is a pretty good wind-up merchant, don't take him on at poker. Luckily, Rasvan also has a sense of humor, you have to have to work with me.

Sorry, but I had to use that joke to introduce this beer. I eventually got to try Kwak last night as we escaped for a few hours. On a Saturday? - yup, incredible. Anyway, I'd heard a bit about this Belgian beer before. Some reports seemed to suggest it was overrated. I had to try it, if for no other reason than it is served in an interesting glass. "Do you want it in the funky glass?" the barman enquired. Part of the reason for ordering the beer, surely.

That crazy glass looks at first sight like it's big enough to take two bottles. Deceptively, it just about manages all of one bottle with it's decent head. Carbonation seems very high, but the beer, whilst not my favourite Belgian beer, is a worthy experience, made all the better for the entertainment of the glass. If you want to know more about the glass there is some information on the Bosteels web site about the "coachman's glass". Personally I just think it's a useful marketing gimmick, but one I like.

I also got a little peckish and spying a stout on the bar decided, unusually for me, to try it with the dark chocolate Bounty that was shouting "Buy Me!" from the back bar. I don't normally like chocolate with beer, but this worked well with the bitter dark chocolate and roasted barley flavours mingling well.

Right, I'm off to the GBBF. I have a strong suspicion that most of the time I'll be around the BSF bar, which apparently is where the real beer writers hang out. Besides, Tandleman is on that bar and it would be nice to get a real chat with him this time.

If you see me there during the Tuesday trade session, do say hello. If you see me there at any other time you've had too much beer and are seeing things; I won't be there unless of course I've had too much beer and I miss the 19:30 back out of Euston for the frozen north. I'm suposed to be back in Cumbria before Tuesday turns into Wednesday, I have a pub to run you know.

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